2008 Audi S5 “The S5 not only looks good; it's quite good to drive. It rockets down the road snuffing out bumps big and small while still giving the driver plenty of feedback.... ” — Automobile See More Reviews

2008 Porsche Cayman S “...go immediately to the Porsche 550 Coupe developed for racing in the mid-1950s. Note the similarity of the rising front fenders. See how the rear fenders bulge so high that the sloping rear deck hatch disappears behind them (uncommon for Porsche).” — Cars.com See More Reviews

2008 Lotus Exige “Unlike other supercars, the Lotus Exige isn't powered by a massive fire-breathing V8, V10 or V12. A high-revving four-cylinder engine is all that's needed to provide extraordinary performance. This is because of the vehicle's lightweight construction” — Edmunds.com See More Reviews

2008 BMW Z4M “...the steering feel is excellent with the car ready to change direction within a millisecond of a flick of the wheel.” — Automobile See More Reviews

4.5

6 TIE

2008 Dodge Viper “Crack the throttle with intent and the rear tires may well attempt to overtake the fronts. Power slides are an everyday experience. Ownership of a Dodge Viper SRT-10 means arriving at work 20 minutes early with a nervous system running on adrenaline.” — Road & Track See More Reviews

4.5

6 TIE

2008 Honda S2000 “The S2000's long-hood, short-trunk design places the cockpit well back in the vehicle and creates a 50/50 weight distribution that contributes to its excellent handling.” — MSN Autos See More Reviews

2008 Mazda MAZDASPEED3 “The Mazdaspeed3 allows for some gutsy merges and lane changes in fifth, and even in sixth you can massage the gas pedal just right to get the turbo to kick in and forego shifting. Every move is fun.” — Cars.com See More Reviews

2008 Dodge Challenger “Unlike the original Challenger, which had a shapely "fuselage" body that wrapped under at the rocker panels, the new car is slightly more slab-sided. But that's a good thing because it makes this muscular car, with its 20-in. wheels and tires, look as if it is firmly planted to the tarmac. ” — Road & Track See More Reviews

4.3

8 TIE

2008 Lexus SC 430 “Occupants feel some bumps more curtly than expected, but there's no overreaction from the car's firm yet largely yielding suspension.” — Cars.com See More Reviews

4.3

9

2008 Nissan 350Z “The manual gearbox shifter is delightful to use. It has short, easy throws and the clutch works well with it.” — Carpoint.com See More Reviews

2008 Mercedes-Benz S65 AMG “There's very little I can say to evoke the sense of awe you feel at accelerating from walking pace to 155mph in one seamless rush, except that its more like an out-of-body experience than simple acceleration. ” — Evo See More Reviews

4.2

10

2008 BMW 650 “For those seeking a 'sunroof effect' from their convertible, BMW allows the 650's rear glass to rise, even with the top tucked away.” — Edmunds.com See More Reviews

4.0

10 TIE

2008 BMW M6 “The M6's performance and handling characteristics can be tailored to suit a wide range of driving styles and preferences.” — Forbes See More Reviews

4.0

10 TIE

2008 Ford Shelby GT500 “Power without control can be foolhardy, so engineers from Ford's Special Vehicle Team, better known as SVT, upgraded chassis components, revised suspension hardware and fitted the car with high-performance tires and big brakes so this most potent of factory Mustangs will be much more than a one-trick pony.” — New Car Test Drive See More Reviews

4.0

10 TIE

2008 Lotus Elise “Not only does the Elise exhibit superb balance and grip through the turns, its exceptionally low curb weight allows it to react to driver inputs much faster than other cars.” — Edmunds.com See More Reviews

4.0

10 TIE

2008 Mercedes-Benz SL65 AMG “With 6.0 liters of displacement and twin turbochargers, the SL65's V12 engine is the most powerful production engine ever offered by the German automaker.” — Edmunds.com See More Reviews

2008 Mercedes-Benz SLK55 AMG “An innovative Airscarf system directs heated air through special vents in the head restraints. The effect is that of an invisible scarf to warm the passenger's neck and shoulders in chilly weather.” — Edmunds.com See More Reviews

3.9

12

2008 Audi S4 “Even the sound it makes when we lift off the accelerator while barreling into a tight one at the end of a straight is great music.” — AutoWeek See More Reviews

2008 Audi S6 “The V10 has a guttural growl, braking is stellar, handling is reasonably grippy and well-balanced, and while its power is less prodigious, AWD allows the S6 driver to exploit it in all seasons.” — Edmunds.com See More Reviews

3.5

13 TIE

2008 Cadillac STS-V “"The 255 horsepower 3.6 liter STS V-6 starts at $41,220 and averages $45,000 with an option package or two...That's about $5,000 less than last year's base V-8 Seville, which this car replaces."” — Cars.com See More Reviews

2008 Mazda RX-8 “When connected to the four-speed automatic transmission, the engine is tuned to produce 197 hp, while manual transmission versions get a 238-hp power plant. Coupled with the vehicle's light weight, the RX-8 delivers exhilarating performance along with ultrasmooth power delivery.” — Edmunds.com See More Reviews

2.7

16 TIE

2008 Mercedes-Benz CLK550 “In a word, the CLK is balanced. Its stylish design and elegant interior make it a pleasant place to spend time, and it delivers Mercedes cachet that works in almost any circumstance.” — Automotive.com See More Reviews

2008 Chrysler Crossfire “Smooth, quiet operation, tight handling, space, luxury: The Chrysler 300 sedan has it all, at attractive prices. Yet what the 300 has more than anything is bold, appealing styling. ” — New Car Test Drive See More Reviews

2.5

17 TIE

2008 Mercedes-Benz CLK350 “In a word, the CLK is balanced. Its stylish design and elegant interior make it a pleasant place to spend time, and it delivers Mercedes cachet that works in almost any circumstance.” — Automotive.com See More Reviews

2.5

17 TIE

2008 Mitsubishi Eclipse “Adding to the four-banger's fun level, the clutch engages so gracefully that you have to try pretty hard to stall the car from a standstill, or to accomplish a jerky shift. The shift lever moves crisply, which is an achievement in a front-drive car because the shift linkage goes through awkward angles.” — USA Today See More Reviews

2.5

18

2008 Jaguar XK “Out in the hills the XK continued to impress. The car tackles the twisties with real poise yet never seems to stiffen its ride or responses to the point of severity. The paddle-directed fast upshifts and blipped-throttle downshifts lend real sporting character, and on several occasions we found ourselves drawing to a stop and pulling on both paddles to find neutral, the way it's done in Ferraris and Lamborghinis. That's how authentic the experience is.” — Car and Driver See More Reviews

2008 Mercedes-Benz SLK280 “An innovative Airscarf system directs heated air through special vents in the head restraints. The effect is that of an invisible scarf to warm the passenger's neck and shoulders in chilly weather.” — Edmunds.com See More Reviews

Autos.com editors have compiled the most extensive rating database on the internet, drawing upon $20 million of automotive research from CarsDirect and Autodata, and summarizing expert opinion from an extensive group of the leading third party sources. Here is a brief overview of how we do it:

Professional Reviews Ranking: Autos.com editors analyze car reviews from a range of magazines and websites, distill each down to a quantifiable ranking and then average those rankings to arrive at the Professional Review Rank.

Other Rankings: Autos.com also ranks vehicles based on criteria such as fuel efficiency, cargo capacity, and comfort and convenience features. You can see some of the data that we have used to rate each vehicle in any given category by expanding the category header on the vehicle detail page. For example, click on the arrow next to "Passenger Space" on the Honda Civic detail page to see the actual measurements for that vehicle's interior. These measurements were stacked up against the interior measurements of all the other vehicles in the compact car segment in order to calculate the Honda Civic's rating in the Passenger Space category. That rating is then used to determine the Honda Civic's overall ranking in the compact car category.